"SALMON, Idaho -- The U.S. Forest Service adopted a rule on Wednesday that requires managers of the nation’s nearly 200 forests and grasslands to formally designate where snowmobiles can be operated on the 193 million acres of public land the agency oversees.

The rule, which takes effect on Feb. 27, comes after years of legal fights between groups advocating for non-motorized winter sports like cross-country skiing on federal lands and organizations that promote snowmobiling.

At issue in a court battle led by the Idaho-based Winter Wildlands Alliance was whether the Forest Service could continue to let supervisors of national forests and grasslands use discretion to decide whether to officially designate areas that may be used by snowmobiles and other over-snow vehicles."

Laura Zuckerman reports for Reuters January 28, 2015. [2]